'Three parties are deplorable'

"PEOPLE are sick and tired of all three political parties," began a letter in the D&S Times exactly 50 years ago. "Their lack of any constructive policy or action is deplorable."

The letter was from Bridget Talbot of Kiplin Hall, near Scorton. She had been born into a Conservative family in 1885, joined the National Labour Party in 1931, stood for Parliament for the Liberals in London in 1950, but fell out with them over the Common Market. In 1966, although too old, she said, to stand herself, she issued her manifesto for other independents to join her cause.

"Keep out of the Common Market at all costs," it began. "Strengthen every tie with the old British dominions, Canada, Australia, New Zealand economically and with defence.

"Give up and destroy all nuclear bombs and reactors. They are no defence whatever. If any country decided England was the spearhead of American defence, we should be the first to be bombed and the whole country obliterated. Let us have the courage to be the first to give up this invention of the devil with its ghastly trail of disease. Let the millions attract the best young scientists into healing instead of destruction.

"Encourage capital investment in factories and production in the countries where the flow of immigrants has come from. Encourage them to return to their own lands and not swell the overcrowding here until the housing shortage is over. No social benefits of any sort until immigrants can show length of contribution and good record of employment.

"Chemicals used on food production and distribution to be drastically controlled and tested.

"Keep all railways and branchlines running. Coordination between bus route and airways. Stop the appalling slaughter on our roads – substitute prison and loss of licence instead of fines. Very large number plates on all cars.

"Double the number of police and give them higher pay. Increase pay to doctors and nurses – 600 doctors left England last year to be replaced by 300 foreigners."

Miss Kiplin concluded: "If anyone agrees, would they write to me so that I should know what support there would be for these independent policies."

She was truly indefatigable. The grand-daughter of the 14th Earl of Shrewsbury, she became the joint owner of the Jacobean hall in 1938, and invented a waterproof electric torch that had to be attached to every lifebelt during the Second World War. She was well known for driving her 1934 Austin Ruby, which she had handpainted herself in cream and blue, very slowly around the lanes of North Yorkshire, and she spent her life campaigning for an eclectic variety of causes, from allotments to railways and against the menace of the Common Market.

She tried hard to get an organisation like the National Trust to take over Kiplin Hall and when she died on November 29, 1971, she left the property to the trust which runs it today.

Her obituary in the D&S Times noted: "Miss Talbot was claiming to be over 90 but it was generally accepted that she was nowhere near that age." The tearoom at Kiplin deliberately serves its produce on mismatching 1960s crockery as that was the way Miss Talbot entertained her guests.

March 10, 1866

IN Richmond 150 years ago, a successor was sought for the MP, John Dundas, who had died. "He was one of the most worthy, kind, affectionate and well deserving of men," said the mayor, L Cooke, opening the proceedings. "He is gone, gentlemen, but the many amiable qualities which he possessed will long be engraven in the hearts of those who had the privilege of personal acquaintance."

Mr Dundas had been one of the town's two MPs since 1830, and his ancestors had been Richmond's MP since 1763.

The first to be nominated to replace him was Marmaduke Wyvill, of Constable Burton Hall. He is one of our area's great characters, as he was runner-up in the world's first chess tournament and he proposed marriage to Florence Nightingale. He'd previously represented Richmond in Parliament and his forebears had held the seat right back to 1659. He was the favourite.

But, the D&S reported: "Mr Porter then ascended the platform amidst the hearty cheers of a portion of the assembly and said: "Brother Electors, I have great pleasure in proposing as a candidate for your suffrages Mr William Henry Roberts, barrister-at-law and Recorder of Grantham (loud applause and hisses).

"It has been said Mr Roberts has fallen from the clouds (laughter) and I can only say that I should be glad to see many more such men drop amongst us (cheers). It might be said on the contrary that the honourable candidate Mr Wyvill has risen from the earth (laughter and "oh". A voice: "Out of a bog hole.")"

After Mr Wyvill had spoken, Mr Roberts himself took to the stage in the town hall. He said there had been no political contest in Richmond for years, and the ruling families had the people under their thumbs. The D&S reported that he said: "You have been sleeping in apathy. The trumpet of reform is sounded and you must awake out of yours lumbers (loud cheers).

"I came here with no hostility to my honourable opponent or his family, but I came to give you the opportunity of showing your independence by establishing a protest against such a system of dictation in the future (loud hurrahs)."

The mayor held two shows of hands, both of which elected Mr Roberts. However, fearing that many in the crowd did not qualify for the vote, Mr Wyvill called from a proper poll which was held the following day and he won by 213 votes to 13.

The D&S report concluded: "Considerable excitement exists amongst the unenfranchised."

March 11, 1916

THE D&S reported the death 100 years ago of Major Marmaduke Ibbetson Darcy Wyvill, the only son of Marmaduke Darcy Wyvill of Constable Burton Hall. He had aged 33 at Sleaford military hospital from pneumonia. The major had taken part in the British invasion of Tibet in 1903, and had been training soldiers when he died. the new army when he died. "He was well known in Wensleydale and was a keen sportsman," said the paper. He was buried at Finghall church.